A gorgeous cover that perfectly emulates the personality of the FMC, who has a background in comics! While the mention of covid was a jumpscare, Sam's hopelessness in feeling stagnant in her life is extremely relatable. And her relationship with Nick is interesting and a blast to witness. I love a good single- dad trope, and Kate Goldbeck really cashes in on the Daddy Issues of it all. (Literally those first few pages is just an onslaught of daddy issues that hits a little too deep.)

I’m so sad. I super wanted to love this since I adored You, Again, I loved the premise of this book and adored the cover. Unfortunately it really missed the mark for me. I didn’t find the relationship to be believable and didn’t sense their connection strongly and didn’t feel like the couple would make it in the long run either. I wasn’t giddy at any point or excited for them to hook up or end up together. It just felt like there wasn’t enough relationship establishment on why they compliment each other. In addition, I liked the comic book angle bc that’s not seen often but found the integration of it into the writing (ex. The panels) to be distracting not complimentary.

This was the first single dad age gap book that I have read and I don't think any book will be able to top how much I enjoyed this book. Typically this would not be my trope as children often times aren't always written well. That is NOT the case here! Kira is written so well and it was fun to watch her use more modern ways such as Discord to communicate with Sam.

The romance was so good between Sam and Nick. I craved Chili's several times throughout this book thanks to Nick being a manager at a Chili's. Who doesn't love a 3 for me!? It was so interesting to me that they were literally only a wall space apart. If they needed each other, all they had to do was knock SOS. The author did such a wonderful job separating the romance from the parenting/child time. As someone who probably has a very similar mindset to Sam when it comes to children, it was so fun to watch Sam interact with Kira and bond with her.

I didn't really care for Sam's mother. I felt like she was so negative towards Sam's growth and just viewed her as a failure. While she was kind enough to let Sam live in the office space of her apartment, she was cruel in every other aspect of parenting. She did try to line up jobs for her, but she also tried to hook the neighbor up with one of her friends just because they were both divorced. She just felt so pushy and wanted things to constantly go her way.

The cover for this book is absolutely stunning. I love the layout, the colors, the character art, everything! I really like that its not your typical cartoon-style characters and I think the cover really sets this book apart from other romances. Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, and Kate Goldbeck for an ARC of this book. I absolutely devoured this book and I can't wait to read more books by this author! This review is my own honest opinion.

Oh this was SO GOOD! Kate Goldbeck writes characters that are so earnest and real and I love every word of her books because of this.

This is romance without any unnecessary drama or dragging out of a resolution - it’s the story of two separate humans with their own separate gifts and struggles and joys and sadness - and how they grow as individuals and together.

I was so moved by so many beautifully simple but impactful moments - the gift from Kira?? The family drawing and note from Kira?? Ok as someone who does not want children apparently the communication from the kid in this book was very impactful for me 😂

It is such a gift to get to read books where an author puts some of their own experience or inspiration into the story, and I loved the two essays following the end of the book that got into this more deeply. I felt how genuine the emotions were throughout and the validation of a romance story as real and inspired was refreshing and such a gift.

This was funny, fun, silly, earnest, emotional and everything in between. I had such a great time bingeing it all in less than 24 hours 😂

Thanks to Dial Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thirty (close enough), flirty and thriving is how I'd best describe the vibes of this book. I normally hate an age gap and was nervous but pleasantly surprised with how well done this was!

This is a serious book -- I know that isn't a word that we often associate with romance, but I really like the way the author tackles some very intense issues within the romance framework. I love watching the heroine come to terms with what's happened in her life, and make the (yes, serious) decision to do some self-work, come to a state of acceptance, choose to move forward, etc. The characters felt very human to me, in the best possible way.

thoroughly enjoyed this one! It was unique and fun and romantic. LOVED the inclusive of the comic panels.

While I was frustrated at times with the lack of accountability for her life circumstances and failure to change, I ended up really loving Sam’s journey. The story was full of complex relationships, confronting past traumas and essentially becoming a human to be proud of - rather than what is deemed “perfect.”
I looooooved that Nick was a functioning, emotional male that was up front with his feelings and own growth, instead of the “too cool for feelings” older guy.
This was a fun and easy to read romance!

This book stole my heart in the most unexpected way. It captures the magic of finding love when you least expect it and reminds you that sometimes, life’s detours lead to the best destinations. The writing is fresh and witty, balancing humor and heartfelt moments so perfectly. It’s not just about romance; it’s about the complicated relationships we have with ourselves, our families, and the dreams we’re still trying to chase. The chemistry between Sam and Nick feels so natural and raw, and the way they navigate their differences is genuinely beautiful. It’s charming, funny, and packed with so much heart. I didn’t want it to end.

In all honesty this book took me completely by surprise. For a novel about a single dad romance, this had so much heart. Surprisingly, the romance wasn’t even the central conflict, it was Sam’s relationship with herself that she needed assistance with and the Chili’s manager, almost 40, precious roadie single dad next door was the catalyst.

DNF 44%

This is not the book for me. I do see the appeal of the plot line, but the main character was fully dreadful. In general, I don't like plots that are COVID centered. I especially don't like plots that are "woe is me, COVID is hard" for five full years. The love plotline in this story also feels very forced considering the FMC does not like children, and the MMC is a single father. The FMC just feels like a lost cause that is a drain to every other character in the novel.

I do believe this book could be everything to someone else, but it is the opposite of relatable for me.

Kate Goldbeck.... you are now one of my ELITE employees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was perfect, no notes. I consider myself to be one of the biggest You, Again fans of all time. I have read it several times and it gets better each time. I was so excited when Daddy Issues was announced and even more excited when I got the eARC so I could read it early!

I just think Kate's writing and characters are so impressive and the yearning and slow burn of her romances really get to me, personally. I loved Sam's ~journey~ in this one and I loved Nick's dedication to his daughter.

It was funny at times and sad at others. I loved their sweet romance a lot.

Just great all around.

The lost years! We’ve all had them and now readers will know it’s a shared experience. Sam and Nick are characters I will think about for a long time! The dialogue, steam, and everything in between was perfection! ❤️

I loved this- Kate Goldbeck infuses her writing with so much wit and humor, and her romances are top notch. The heroine, Sam, is a gifted burnout kid who, because of the pandemic, has been living at home for the last 5 years. Although I'm sure some readers will get frustrated with Sam, I enjoyed her journey and how flawed and human she felt. I loved her relationship with Nick, and I think the book did a great job talking about the implications of dating a single dad- what you'll mean to the child, the child's mom, etc. There was an honesty to their relationship that made sense, given where Nick is in his life, and I loved how it added to the romance. I wasn't fully invested in the book towards the end, which is why this isn't a 5, but I thought this was a fresh, sharp romance.

Witty, insightful, and perfectly messy. Daddy issues is a vulnerable and realistic love story that fully exceeded my expectations as someone who doesn't typically care for the single dad trope. Sam was such a lovable, relatable character and I loved reading from her POV. The chemistry was perfect as well. The depiction of Sam's previous situationship was painfully well done and a great tool to showcase her growth as a character. 4.25 ⭐️

I don’t think Kate can write anything I won’t like. Her stories and characters are always so layered and complex; the writing witty, funny, and engaging.

I didn’t even find myself relating much to either of these characters in the broad sense, but I sure cared about them—as individuals and as a couple. I felt for them, and rooted for them. Kira, too. If that isn’t a mark of good writing!

The only reason I’m giving this 4 stars is because when the “I love you” came, I was a little surprised by it. As a reader we usually already know it and can sense the moment coming, but this one, somehow, came a little soon for me? I think I was hoping for a deeper emotional connection first. There was no doubt they had Feelings, but maybe a scene or two that convinced me it was More.

I can’t thank you enough for this ARC! I will always be recommending Kate Goldbeck. Big fan.

I think I’ll be the minority in terms of ratings with this one but I couldn’t get through it. 2 stars because I know it’ll hit the right audience, that just isn’t me!

Personally not a fan of Goldbeck’s writing style. The premise is so great and I do think it’ll do well in store, but I found the quirky/woe as me narration and character traits more annoying than endearing or relatable. Wanted to love it but it fell really flat for me!

First of all, Daddy Issues has such an incredible title; it works on so many levels. Sam is 26, living on her mom's couch, and dealing with actual daddy issues in the form of her father left a long time ago AND when he left, he left her with a love of graphic art and comic books, and literal boxes full of assortments of issues of various values. She has a situationship with someone else at arms length, but she starts to inconveniently fall for her neighbor, a man in his late 30s with a daughter. Her character growth is lovely, and the way that this story was framed with interspersed graphic art moments as though she was storyboarding her own life was so charming and beautifully crafted! I enjoyed the emotional arc of everything here, and the whole cast: the family, the assorted friends, even the kind of jerk situationship and the way too hot literary it girl he was into. But most of all, I loved Samantha, and Nick, and his daughter, Kira.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my review!

Sam Pulaski, de 26 años, es una joven que siente que su vida está en pausa. Atrapada en un limbo tras rechazos a programas de posgrado en Historia del Arte y sumida en deudas estudiantiles, vive con su madre y trabaja en un empleo sin futuro. Su vida parece una serie de viñetas de cómic, donde todo se repite sin avance real.

Nick, su nuevo vecino, es todo lo contrario: un hombre responsable, padre soltero de una niña de nueve años llamada Kira, que ha dejado atrás su carrera en viajes por un trabajo estable y una rutina centrada en su hija. Nick es maduro, centrado y emocionalmente disponible, cualidades que descolocan a Sam, acostumbrada a relaciones frágiles o dañinas como la que mantiene con su amigo con derechos o la ausencia emocional de su padre.

Lo que empieza como una coincidencia incómoda (vivir separados solo por una pared) evoluciona en una cercanía emocional y física que desafía las barreras que ambos han levantado. Sam debe enfrentarse a sus propios prejuicios sobre la paternidad, la madurez y el compromiso, mientras Nick descubre que aún puede enamorarse, incluso en medio del caos de la paternidad.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

DNF at 62%

I had the chance to be an early reader for this story, so I want to start off this review by thanking Dial Press and Random House Pub for taking a shot on me. However...

I couldn't possibly consider choking down the last third of this book.

Given how much I was a fan of Kate Goldbeck's first book, I'm ultimately very surprised that this is where I've landed with her second one. I think there needs to be a lot of heavy consideration done before this book reaches the public. It could be so much better than what is and I just know that there's enough talent and passion behind this project to get it done.

Let's talk about what went wrong...

First of all, I was such a sucker for the premise and it had been so long since the release of "You, Again" that I was beyond excited to get an ARC for this story. What it seemed like this story was going to be was a battle of wills between two people who knew that *maybe* they were a little wrong for one another, but that in the end they might give it all up for just one shot to be together. I was ready for the pining, the anticipation, the stolen touches between the man with too many commitments to consider the girl with no commitments at all. It had so much potential, but that is not what this story was at all.

Instead, I found the story to be a sort of awkward, flailing about between our two main characters. They really only end up together so that our main character, Sam, can get revenge on her FWB. After hooking up once in a minivan, she's sort of roped into this committed relationship that she seems to have one foot half out of at all times. Like she's still waiting for Hal (the alleged FWB) to commit or for Nick, the MMC, to screw it all up just to say "Yep, he's just like my fuck-up of a dad." I couldn't convey how awkward it all is, even if I tried over and over again, so here's just a quote from one of Sam and Nick's interactions...

"To be fair, that is The Dream for most people."

"-and now I'm looking at myself and my life and my gut-"

"I like your dad bod."

Maybe it's because I know the context of this particular scene that I find it hard to look past, but TRUST me when I say that this how they speak most of the time. He's like this guy stuck in the 90s, pretentiously so, and she's supposed to be this down on her luck "Gen Z" girl but it all tries too hard to be on the nose. They have no chemistry whatsoever, every time they speak with one another it makes me cringe so hard I can't even consider it anymore, and this all only scratches the surface.

I just don't like any of the characters, especially Nick's daughter, because it feels like the writer tried too hard to make them seem quirky and different. Like Nick is the General Manager at a CHILIS for god's sake, and that's supposed to the representation of a responsible adult that's got his life all figured out???? Everything just tries too hard in a way that tells me the writer doesn't understand the types of people she's trying to convey.

Now let's talk about something more technical - the writing. One of my biggest qualms when reading this book has to be the awkward, choppy scene jumps. None of them flowed organically, I just sort of felt like I was being forced out of a moment that didn't really finish in the first place. I think there are too many of them and that the writer will lose appeal from her readers if the choppy nature of the writing isn't worked on some more before publication.

I also found Sam's inward thoughts to be a bit overwhelming and that it was distracting from what was happening around her more often than not. I get that she's supposed to be this overthinker, overachiever type, however, it gets to the point where we lose all consideration of what the scene actually is and what's happening. I think she can be obsessive in ways that aren't as intrusive to the overall plot of each scene.

I'm sure as I think on it, there might be some other things that bugged me about this book, however I think it just boils down to this feeling like I didn't get what I thought I was going to. I feel a bit scammed and I think, knowing Goldbeck's other writing, that this book can be FAR improved upon before it lands on those bookstore shelves. I sincerely hope that happens.

Again, thank you to Dial Press and Random House for this ARC.